Lagerstroemia indica Mimie Rose - Crape myrtle

Lagerstroemia indica 'Mimie Rose' (full name 'Dablage02' MIMIE® ROSE) is a very recent variety of crape myrtle that reinvigorates the genus with its highly original silhouette. Its very flexible vegetation naturally adopts a groundcover habit or a weeping habit if trained as a standard. Its bright pink flowering is particularly generous and blooms from late spring to early autumn. Resistant to powdery mildew, the shrub retains its beautiful glossy green foliage, creating a superb harmony with the dazzling inflorescences. Equally ornamental in the garden, in a bed or on a slope, as it is when planted in a container on a terrace, this Lagerstroemia will enchant your summers.

Lagerstroemia belongs to the Lythraceae family, which comprises 31 genera and over 600 species. In our latitudes, there are a few familiar representatives, such as the Pomegranate (Punica) found in Mediterranean regions, or the purple loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria, a wild perennial of wetlands and riverbanks (from which the botanical family takes its name). There are between thirty and forty species of Lagerstroemia, consisting of trees and shrubs, some deciduous, some evergreen, native to southern and eastern Asia as well as Australia. Among them, the most widely cultivated is Lagerstroemia indica, also known as crape myrtle. Naturally occurring in China and Japan, it takes the form of a shrub or small tree that can reach 6 to 8 metres. Its oval, deciduous leaves take on warm, bright hues in autumn before falling. This species has good hardiness, tolerating temperatures of -15 to -20°C once well established, but its flowering remains generous only in regions with long, sunny summers.
Crape myrtle 'Mimie Rose' is part of the MIMIE® range, which brings together carefully selected varieties based on criteria such as earliness, duration and intensity of flower colour, and also habit. 'Mimie Rose' is a creation by the Frenchman Alain Dabadie and was introduced to the market in 2021. This variety is easily distinguished by the flexible habit of its branches, whereas most traditional Lagerstroemias have a predominantly upright habit. In 'Mimie Rose', the branches first rise before drooping, especially bending under the weight of the flower clusters. Planted on a slope, it forms a spreading dome approximately 1 m tall and 2.50 m in diameter. If pruned to maintain a main stem, it takes on a very original weeping silhouette.
Flowering begins in June and continues intermittently until October, even on young plants. The flowers, borne on delicate pedicels, each have five petals with finely crinkled edges in a very bright, truly dazzling pink. However, their texture, reminiscent of crêpe paper or pleated fabric, gives them a romantic charm. They are grouped into large, dense panicles, reaching roughly 25 cm in length, which develop at the tips of the current year's shoots. Few summer flower displays can rival this crape myrtle, so impressive is the volume of flowers.
The brown stems, which become ornamental with age, are clothed with oval to lanceolate leaves of a beautiful deep green, with a glossy surface. Resistant to powdery mildew, the fungus that develops an unsightly white film and impairs the leaves' chlorophyll function, the leaves remain healthy and attractive throughout the growing season. They harmonise very well with the lively pink of the flowers, even though a large proportion of them are buried beneath the inflorescences. They are deciduous and they take on lovely autumn colours depending on the climate before falling to the ground, revealing the wood, whose brown bark peels elegantly.

While the South-West offers ideal growing conditions, you can plant your Lagerstroemia 'Mimie Rose' in many other regions. Its good hardiness means it can withstand cold down to -15°C or even a little less once well established. In harsh climates, plant it in a somewhat sheltered spot, allowing it to trail over a south-facing dry stone wall. If the winter is too cold for it, you can easily grow it in a container to overwinter under cover. In the garden, create contrasts of form and colour, both in foliage and flowering. Hibiscus syriacus 'Flower Tower White', which forms a column of dark green vegetation, is adorned in summer with large single pure white flowers that will stand out perfectly in the background. With Hydrangea quercifolia 'Tara', an oak-leaved hydrangea with very dense white panicles, you can play on the size and texture of the leaves, which are the opposite of those of 'Mimie Rose'. They also colour in autumn, adding a further point of interest to your scene.